Top Russian official says Putin-Trump call will be positive

MOSCOW (AP) — Influential Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev says Moscow has high hopes for a scheduled telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

"Everything will be positive," Patrushev said Saturday, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. He is the secretary of Russia's Security Council.

The telephone call between Putin and Trump expected to take place later Saturday will be the first official contact between the two leaders since Trump was sworn in as president. The Kremlin has welcomed Trump's promises to mend ties with Moscow, which have been badly strained by the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. elections.

Putin held a meeting of the Security Council on Friday to discuss U.S.-Russian relations.